Carl, Are you cutting the raffia into narrow strips with scissors (free-handed) or do you use some other method that results in a consistently wide strip? Thanks- Ken I cut off a strip of natural raffia about 6" long. Then I soak the raffia well and snip a small cut in one end to the width I w...

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the feedback.

Carl, Another beauty from your den in Port Orange! Raffia grass....I have seen very little of this natural material and have never tied with it! I'll take your word for it that it's a pain in the rumpus to tie with! Do you do anything with it ahead of time like soaking it in water? I like what I se...

A favorite of Leisenring's and mine. :D Tied with natural raffia grass, which can be a pain to work with. I usually just sit and tie these once a year and then don't bother with more. I was gifted a beautiful honey dun hen so I had to work on it. Waxed primrose silk Honey dun hackle Honey dun cock f...

Wow and again--Wow! I dream of finding a fly like this in my vise. The tag and the head don't even look like they are thread wraps. It's wonderful how the thread is visible through the dubbing (almost like a rib). Did you use a dubbing rope? And the "spread out" hackle just finishes the f...

Variant wrote: ↑Tue Dec 13, 2022 1:14 pm Great job, Carl!
That is what I call “Purposeful Tying”

Lou

I try my best.

It's a great design that has been around in many forms as Bill shows. Love your variations Ray. I'm working on Salty Tenkara flies this winter and I had this one chosen to experiment with. I think I like the option with a tail. This way the fly retains some length when it's not actively being stripp...

Thanks gentlemen. I forgot to mention that I tied this with the open wraps in the thorax so that it rides the surface a bit more.

Here is a nice Iron Blue Dun pattern given by Hidy. It is a little variation of his from what most of us are used to. This variation is found in Famous Flies and Their Originators, Overfield, 1972. I haven't tied one of these before. Definitely putting some in the box. Claret Silk Mole dubbing Dark ...

Nice fly Bill. I did pretty well with simple soft hackled steelhead flies like this on the Wallowa. I had 3 patterns I tied. Caught a lot of trout as well while steelheading on these. #6-#8.